Lather dispenser



Dec. 13, 1938. w. J. DoBKlN 2,139,735

LATHER DISPENSER Filed June l2, 1936 ATTO RN EY Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES LATHER. nIsrENsER William J. nothin, Jackson' Heightaing Island, N; Y., assignor to Mac B. `Feinson, New York,

Application June 12, 1936, Serial-No. .84,789 I e 11 Claims.

This invention relates 4to lather dispensers. 'I'his invention is an improvement on and the disclosure involves Y some features Awhich are claimed iny applicants copending application, serial #731379.

It is anobject of this invention to provide a dispenserwhich will control the utilization of liquid soap and its conversion into lather, and its dispensing as lather without danger of dripping of -the soap.

It is a furtherobject to provide a device of the character described which will be reliable in its operation and inexpensive in manufacture.

It is a further object to provide a device of the character described in which the plunger mechanism may be removed for repair or inspection Without disturbing theinternal valves of the assembly so `that its removal may be accomplished Without disassembling the device from the soap supply. Y

Itis a further object to provide a device of the character described which willv measure predetermined amounts of soap vand air and cause them to be thoroughly commingled into lather, but inwhich the soap control device mayextend backwardly into the fittings to which the .dispenser is attached and Lthereby make it possible to place the dispenser closer to the wall even when little clearance can be had within or at the wall. y It is a further object to provide a dispenser in which the valve mechanism is carried'as a unit and .may be `inserted and removed kor replaced as a unit within the device.

Other objects of the inventionwill in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. v

The invention accordingly comprises an article ofmanufacture possessingthe features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the `application of which will be indicated in the claims. For a fuller understanding of the nature and a objects of the invention, referenceshoulclbe had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: e Figure 1 is aside elevation of a device embodying this invention. V -Y Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same to a. slightly enlarged scale. g

' Figure 3 is a view similar toFigure 2, but with the plunger in a dlierent position.

Figure `4 is a side elevation partly in section of a'modification.

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively sections along the lines V--V 'and VL-VI of Figure 2.

This dispenser comprises primarily a cylinder I0, having atA one end a threaded recess II by which it may be attached to any common pipe fitting as for example an elbowA I2, which maybe connected to a source of soap supply.l The recess Il communicates with an inner recess I3 which is also threaded to receive 'a threaded boss I4 upon a hollow. stud I5 adaptedto extend outm wardly from the cyllnderl into theelbowl I2. The recess I3 terminates in afshoulder I6 ybetween which and the end ofthe boss Il thereis provided a washer I1. The threadupon `the boss I4 is `preferably left hand. `The cylinder l0 has at its other end abore 'I8 for `the reception of a plunger I3. Acentral opening 20 through the shoulder I6 aifords `communication between the interior of thebore I8 and the interior of the hollow stud I5. The outer endof the stud I5 2 has a shoulder 2| through which there is provided an orifice 22, thus forming a valve seat for a needle valve 23, carried by a stem 24, along the axis of the stud. The needle valve may be maintained centered by a socket 25 in which it 2? loosely moves.'V n

A second stud 26 having an enlarged body portion 21, and a reduced body portion 28 closed at its end as shown at 29, and having a head 3l) at the other end, extends,k thrcugnthe washer. vl1 30 and opening 20 into the bore I8, the" head 3Ilbef ing of such size as to engage the washer I'l and close the opening. 20, but'the reduced body be` ing small enough to admit soap'around the body.

vThe .stud 26 is hollow to receive and serve as a 35 guide for a small head 3I onfv the end of,` the stem 24,` and a washer 32 surrounds the stem 24j and is retained by the head 3|. A spring33 bears .against the needle valve 23 atone end and against the washer 32 at the other, and a second andheavier spring v:I4 is compressed betweenthe washer 32 and ashoulder'v 35 on the interior-of the stud I5` to urge thewasher 32 v.to theright, and with itthstud 26, the stem 24, and valve 23. Theplunger I9 vis hollow and is partially closed at its outer end by a screw 3 6 having a central opening therethrough, there being packing washers 31 heldbetween'the screw 36 and the end'of the plunger.` y.

The proportion vof the parts is such that as the plunger I9 is pressed in by the hand, the screw 36 lengages the end of the stud 26 and presses it inwardly against the action ofv spring 34.y This carries the needle valve in far enough `tocaus'e it t0 beA seated on its seat. Thereafterfurther pressing inward of the plunger will compress both spring 34 and spring 33.

Slots 38 in the head of screw 36 afford cornmunication between the bore I8 andthe interior of the plunger I9. The plunger is provided with a discharge spout 39 extending outwardly at its outer end, but this discharge spout also extends upwardly as shown at 4U, into the'inter-ior of the plunger above the level 4I of the lower inner wall. This construction has proven especially useful in that it eliminates the tendency to drip.

A plurality of concentric springs 42, 43, `and 44 is provided within the plunger to break upv the air and soap in a lather. These springs each extend substantially the full length of the plunger, but for purposes of illustration the outer springs are broken away to show the inner ones. A screw 45 in the cylinder I0 extends into a slot 46 in the plunger to hold the latter in place.

The form of the invention shown fn Figure 4 is the same, except that in that iigure the cylinder 50 extends inwardly beyond the end of the stud I5 and is provided with braickets 5I. The inner end of cylinder I may be closedby a plug 52. A plate 53 of a size to be concealed by the brackets I is attached to the Wall and carries a centrally disposed supporting stud 54 over which the inner end of the cylinder 50 may t to be retained by a screw 55, accessible through anopening 56.

A soap receptacle 51 is carried by a flange 58 upon the cylinder 58 and a conduit 59 affords communication between the interior of the receptacle and the interior of the projected portion 68 of the cylinder 50 around the stud I5.

The operation of the device is as follows:- l Starting with the plunger I9 extendedA as shown in the position of Figure 2 and with the device in regular operation, the stud I5 is filled with liquid soap and the bore I8 behind the plunger and the bore of the plunger are filled with different mixtures of soap and air. From this position as the plunger I9 is thrust inwardly,Y it engages the stud 26 and through lit insures that the needle valve 23 is closed, if it is not already closed. Thereafter, there is discharged into the bore I8 an amount of liquid soapequal to the volume of that portion of the stud 26 which passes through the washer I1. During thisinward movement, also the plunger I9 forcesthe contents of the bore I8 into the 'interioroi'v the plunger I9, and, if the clearance of theplunger in the bore be small, as shown, thisgrnay also include soap which is being sivmultaneously"delivered from the stud I5. This forces the contents of the plunger I9 to discharge over the surface of the springs 42, 43, and 44, the coarser bubbles being brokenk up as they go out to form a fine creamy lather.

'Ihus the inward stroke forces a definite amount of soap into the bore I8 from the stud I5 comprising the actual displacement of the plunger 26. When the plunger I9 is released, it is forced outwardly by spring 34 creating a suction in the interior of the bore I8and of plunger I9 which draws a mixture of soap and air from the interior of the plunger I9 into the bore I8 and replaces it with air drawn into the plunger from the outside. 'I'his incoming air rushing over the spring surfaces coated with soap is quickly broken up into coarse bubbles, to be st-ill further broken up and refined on the instroke as above described. d

During this outstroke, the stud 26 is being forced out of the stud- I6 by the spring 34 creating a suction within the stud I5 which opens thcvalve 23 and allows a quantity of soap to enter the stud I5 equal in volume to the displacement of the stud 26. During this action, the pressures within the cylinder I5 are relatively low, being limited by the pressure of the spring 34, so that substantially no material is sucked back into the bore of the stud I5 around the stud 26, for it will be readily understood that when these surfaces become coated with soap they oiTer considerable resistance to the passage of bubbles of air. It will, moreover, be noted that during this action, the pressure within the bore I8 andthat within the stud I5 are relatively balanced, which assists in preventing the passage of any soap from the bore I8 around the stud 26 on the outstroke.

It will thus be seen that a definite quantity of soap is discharged into the bore I8 on each instroke Awhich is equal to the displacement of the stud 26 in its movement, and at the same A time a denite quantity of air is drawn into' the interior through the discharge opening 39 which is equal Ato the displacement of the plunger I9. The parts are so proportioned that these denite quantities of soap and air are thus required to form a lather of the desired consistency.

The foregoing construction has many advantages. By reason of the fact that the valve mechanism is carried Wholly within the cylinder and while operated by the plungeris not connected thereto, it is possible to remove the plunger in making repairs and adjust the washers or clean the parts without disconnecting the soap supply and Without loss of soap. This is a matter of great convenience in practical main-l tenance.

The practical arrangement by which the stud I5 containing the valve mechanism extends into the elbow I2 affords great economies of space and makes it possible to place the dispenser in close quarters which would otherwise be inconvenient or impractical. Special advantages accrue also from the form of the assembly both from the manufacturing and operating point of view and the extension of the rdischarge spout inwardly of the plunger solves, in a simple manner, the problem of drip', which has heretofore been troublesome.

Since certain changes may bemade .in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it ls intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the followingclaims are intended to cover all of the generic and specic features of 'the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to Lfall therebetween.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A dispenser comprising a cylinder having a bore therein extending inwardly from one end Y and having an opening through the opposite end,

a pump means extending outwardly from said cylinder at said opposite end and forming a -closure for said opening and discharging through said opening Aandhaving an operating element extending through said opening into said bore, a hollow plunger in said bore adapted to engage aiaavaa pump means being constructed andjarranged to delivera `quantity, of liquid materially less 'than the*` volumetric displacement of the plungen,

whereby air is 'sucked into thek cylinder on'each outstroke of the plunger.

. 2. A soap dispenser comprisinga cy1indg1`1.1931".-`v

ing .a.bore therein extending inwardly from one end :and having .an opening through lthe other end thereof, a hollow stud extending .out/v."ardly,v

from saidother end, said stud having an opening to its exterior controlled by a spring valve to admit soap and having an opening at its other end communicating with the opening in the said other end of said cylinder, an independently.

movable plunger moving within said last'mentioned` opening, spring pressed outwardly to extend into the said bore and carrying an element comprising a valve closing said opening when said plunger is in its full spring pressed position to control the ilow of soap to said bore, a'hollow plunger in said bore adapted to engage said rst mentioned plunger to depress the same and to open' said second mentioned valve and thereby pour soap into said bore there being communication between the interior of' said hollow plunger and the interior of said stud and a soap discharge opening in the outer end of said hollow plunger.

3. A dispenser comprising a cylinder having bores therein extending inwardly from the opposite ends and connectingwith each other, ione of said bores being constructed and arranged to be connected to a soap supply to form therewith a supply chamber, a plunger pump means within said chamber having an intake communicating with the interior of said chamber and discharging into the other of said bores, and having an operating element extending into said other bore, a hollow plunger in said other bore` adapted to engage said element to operate said pump means and having its interior communicating with the interior of said bore, there being a discharge opening from the interior of said hollow plunger to the exterior.

4. A dispenser comprising in combination --a cylinder having a bore in each end thereof, a hollow stud screwed into the bore in one end of said cylinder, a needle valve fordmitting soap to the interior of said stud and an independently movable valve mechanism for controlling communication between the interiorfo'i said stud and the other bore in said cylinder,l'and connecting means between said valves when*y thellatter valve is closed to keep the former open fand whereby the opening of the latter valve will close'the former, a plunger slidable in the other end of said cylinder adapted to engage said Valve mechvalve mechanism `by the depression of said plunger.

5; A soap dispenser comprising a cylinder having an axial bore extending inwardly from each end thereof, one of said bores being adapted to be connected to a soap supply to form a supply chamber, said bores being separated by an annular member held within said cylinder, a hollow stud extending outwardly of said one of said spring' ,for iframe, said needle vlr position and `a stronger.y spring ,for urging. said .second mentioned hollowfstuigutwafalythrough saidannuluar member to closesaidfsecond valve.

andto extend into thepv'thefboe of said cylinder, includingwastop connection between said lvalves, wherebygwheri said second valve is closed said rlr'st .valve f is` held fopen and. a plunger rslid'able within said other bore to `force out the contents..

thereof andV adapted Atg) engage s'aid'second men tioned hollow Astud and'force it inwa'rdly'to afford communication between the two bores and therewith to close saidV needle valve.

6. A device in accordance with claim l in which the soap discharge orifice is provided with la discharge spout' extending upwardly above the level of the interior of the hollow plunger to prevent drip.

7. A soap dispenser comprising in combination a hollow cylinder, an annular means within said cylinder for separating said cylinder into a plu-y rality of bores,one of said bores being constructed and arranged to be connected to a soap supply .to form therewith a supply chamber, a hollow stud screwed into said last named bore and extending outwardly of said cylinder into said supply chamber there being an orifice controlled by aA needle valve for controlling the admission of soap to the interior of said stud, a plunger within said stud and spring pressed outwardly and having operating means extending into the other bore and said plunger being provided with means to retard the ow of liquid between said bores and a hollow plunger within said other bore slidable to engage said operating means and communicating with the interior of said other bore and having a discharge opening connecting to the interior of said hollow plunger beyond said cylinder.

, 8,. A soap dispenser comprising in combination` orifice controlled by a needle valve for admitting :maxilar.,member` and forming a second valve therewith movable independejrltl of l said rst menktioned value fand affording 'a guide for' the re'ceptionmof: the head of4 "saidw needle .valve ls'terrlja A' ard closedy soap to the interior of said stud from said soap supply, a plunger within said stud movable inde-Y pendently of said needle valve and a spring between said plunger and said needle valve for operating the same adapted to press said plunger outwardly, said plunger being constructed and arranged to function with said annular means as a valve to control the admission of soap from said stud into said other bore closing the annular means when the plunger is spring pressed outanism to close said needle valve and open the wardly, connecting vmeans between said two valves whereby when said plunger valve is held closed said needle valve is held open, means for operating said plunger extending into said other bore, andv an operating element therefor within said other bore, said plunger being movable Within'said stud after said needle valve is closed.`

9. A soap dispenser comprising a hollow stud forming `a chamber having an opening in one end thereof, a needle valve carried by a stem within said chamber, a spring for pressing said valve outwardly to close said opening against the ingress of soap, a second valve VsituatedV at the otherv end ofthe stud, a secondspring for urging said secondvalve to close said other end, said second spring being stronger'than the first `mentioned spring, a connectingvmeans between the stem and the second mentioned valve so constructed and arranged'that when'the said second valve is held closed by said second spring said needle valve isheld slightly open, a cylinder in which said stud is mounted andl having a. hollow plunger therein, there being a communication between the interior of said cylinder and thek interior of` said stud through said second valve and means operated by said hollow plunger'for opening said second valve and'for forcing soap from said chamber into said `cylinder.

10. A device in accordancewith claim 9` in 

